A quest to seek out people & places around the globe...experience cultural richness and all the beauty that is this world.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Pink is my pick for the day...Coral Pink to be precise!

At day break, as we left the town
of Page, we found ourselves once again crossing state lines, this time from
Arizona into Utah (no time zone change here). As we watched the early morning
light wash the dark sky, all we could reminisce about was, what an experience
the day before had been. Truly, Antelope Canyon was a visual treat.

On day 3 we were headed west on
Highway 89 towards the city of Kanab, UT marveling the expansive Grand
Staircase Escalante National Monument that stretched out to our north and
northeast. Even though the grand circle is mostly made up of National Parks and
monuments, if you’ve read the previous entry, you now know that this trip had
to be more than that. Having reaped an enormous reward for going off the beaten
path and enjoying places unparalleled, we couldn't pass up on an equally
interesting prospect.

Coral
Pink Sand Dune's rippling rust-colored arcs beg to be explored by one and all.

Another such uniquely rewarding
and very refreshing detour happened to be Coral Pink Sand Dunes State park in
Utah! (Day use $5, Camping $15) Just the name was enough to steer our car 12
miles off highway 89 past the city of Kanab. Our curiosity levels at an
all-time high, we had this intuitive feeling of knowing we had made the right
decision. Located a little over 2 hours by road from the town of Page, at first
glimpse, the park appeared to be nothing extraordinary. It was the elevation of
the plain that obstructed our view from what lay behind, above, over and under.And then, probably a couple
hundred yards shy of the entrance to the park, as we came on top of a small
ridge, we saw it!!! It is hard to describe the exhilaration that flushed my
insides – what a sight it was to behold! In the midst of gigantic rock,
concrete and towering canyon walls, amidst layers of hardened lava, defying the
science that contoured most of the surrounding geography, was a landscape
astonishingly the opposite. It was one that was gentle not rough, smooth not
jagged, wavy not straight and one that was soft not hard. And above all it was
bathed in a soft Coral Pink glow!

The science or mystery behind
these photogenic formations is very fascinating. Years of weathering and
erosion of the surrounding Navajo Sandstone, deposited sediments carried over
by winds to shape and form these dune hills more than ten thousand years
ago. Now, that explains the light pink color. Situated at 6,000 feet,
these 2,000 acres of park dunes are the result of winds funneling through a
constricting notch between the Moquith and Moccasin mountains (south of the
park). This increase in wind velocity, also known as the"Venturi
effect", reaches the open valley, where it looses its speed,
and deposits sand in this spacious reservoir.

Reading the excellent
interpretive bulletin boards in the park, brought back memories from my high
school geography class! It also was a sharp reminder of how little
information we retain after school!!! But for now, I'll just pretend my mom
didn't hear me say that (she was my geography teacher for 4 years)!! After
reading more about it, we were able to recognize different formations such as
barchans, parabolas, and a star dune (caused by winds coming from several
directions) spread out right in front of us.

A thrilling way to enjoy the wide
sweeping expanse of the park and hundreds of miles of quality
trails is atop an OHV - Off-highway Vehicle, ATV - All terrain
Vehicle, dirt bikes or Dune Buggies. Unfortunately, there isn't an option
to rent these for day use....but if you own one, then this is paradise central
for you! However, for all you 2-legged adventurists....don't be
disheartened...for a little enthusiasm goes a long way if you are game for
it! The best time for hiking is early morning, when its cooler, and when the
angles of light produce shadows and colors that justify why the park was
named so. Keep in mind though that sinking your feet into the extra fine soft
sand can be tiring for an extended period of time. None-the-less...only a half
mile into the park and atop the ridge of the barchan crest, all tiredness
is forgotten only to be replaced by the timelessness of this spectacle. The
sand dunes brings out the child in you, as you find yourself digging in more
than just your toes into the coolness of its soft silt. With a spectacular
horizon ahead of you, and being the only major dune-field in the entire
Colorado plateau...Coral Pink Sand Dune's rippling rust-colored arcs beg to be
explored by one and all. It is truly a well deserved off-the-beaten-path serene
experience, not to be missed.Interesting Facts: In Kane County's movie-making days a
Hollywood production company thought Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park resembled
Egypt, and it was selected as location for filming "The Greatest Story
Ever Told". All film extras were locals, with the only imported actors
being camels! Many other old movies were filmed at the Coral Pink Sand Dunes
including: "Arabian Nights" in 1942, "Ali Baba and the Forty
Thieves" in 1944, "Timbuktu" in 1959, "MacKenna's
Gold" in 1969 and "One Little Indian" in 1973. In 1978 the
series "Greatest Heros of the Bible" was also filmed at the Coral
Pink Sand Dunes.TIP:Best times for hiking are early morning.
This way you avoid the noise of the ATVs...and have the place untouched and all
to yourself. Also keep in mind that this is desert country. Take all the
precautions as you would traversing any other similar landscape. Avoid the
harsh mid-day sun...since shaded rest areas are hard to come by. Wear light
clothing, and take plenty of water if you are venturing out on a lengthy hike.
Definitely take your camera along.